To the editor:

Last week, in President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress, he laid out his vision, made a 13-year-old cancer survivor an honorary Secret Service agent, and announced a high school senior got accepted to West Point military academy.

Yet despite CNN and CBS polls both finding positive reviews of the speech, Trump’s Democrat audience members from the House and Senate returned with boos, protests, and sit-downs – even for his guests.

Not an isolated incident, since the Inauguration, most Democrats have made it their mission to simply obstruct any progress under the Trump administration. Of the 48 Democrat senators, most of them voted against Trump’s cabinet picks. Of 20 cabinet nominees, eight senators were tied for the most votes (19) cast against them – including Rhode Island’s own Senior Sen. Jack Reed.

Locally, The Rhode Island Senate broke tradition Tuesday by refusing to approve a resolution congratulating Donald Trump on his historic and extraordinary victory in a 21-14 vote, including East Bay and Aquidneck-area Senators Ujifusa, Lauria, and Euer.

This flies-in-the-face of how voters – especially those under 30 – voted in 2024. According to NPR, in key swing states, Harris lost support from voters under 30, showing a drastic difference in vote margin among 18-to-29-year-olds for the Democratic presidential candidate from 2020 to 2024, as they were found to vote more on pocketbook issues.

Locally, in spite of Harris winning Rhode Island, Trump made gains in all 39 cities and towns.

What is the answer to this division and disconnect? What can help bring better political balance to the state? Consider getting involved with The Rhode Island Young Republicans. Not just a political organization but one fighting for the future – not just of the Republican Party, but for a better Rhode Island as a whole.

Its mission? “To recruit, train and elect the future generation of Rhode Island Republican leaders.”

As a member of the Rhode Island Young Republicans for over 15 years, I can speak firsthand on how they are an incubator to get young people directly engaged in the political process, and work to make a difference in The Ocean State.

Now, the next phase of the Rhode Island Young Republicans is to create individual committees in every city and town. I am proud to announce Bristol is the first East Bay town chartered, and I have taken on the task of being chair – but it cannot be done alone.

On Thursday, March 20, at 7 p.m., RI Young Republicans are hosting an East Bay Outreach Event at The Burnside Building, 400 Hope St. Free and open to the public, it is to engage people 18 to 40 who want to learn more and affect change.

To quote former Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy: “You’re going to be the generation that actually saves this country … you want to be a rebel … you want to stick it to the man, show up on your college campus and try calling yourself a conservative.”

Will Sousa Grapentine
112 Mulberry Road, Bristol

Will Sousa Grapentine is Vice Chair of the Bristol Republican Town Committee and Chair of the newly chartered Bristol Young Republican Town Committee.